article on the slip from the VOICE

[headnugg]

http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0648, ... 69,22.html



Sliptease
Post-jam auteurs struggle to find themselves; their fans know the feeling
by Jonathan Zwickel
November 28th, 2006 2:52 PM

Like a rock 'n' roll Sisyphus, the Slip have long been punished by their own eclecticism. Every time the New England trio release a new album or go on tour, they're rolling their burden to the top of the hill, reaching another pinnacle in their shape-shifting style. Then they evolve their sound and the boulder tumbles, crushing expectations and sending fans scrambling, and the process starts all over again. Ten years of such struggle can seem like an eternity in Hades.

"Some people call it insanity," says Brad Barr, the Slip's lead singer, lyricist, and guitarist. "We don't live normal lives like normal people. We're willing to sacrifice quite a bit for this . . . this process, which is becoming who we are. We're plotting ways in which to escape it but never really seem to be able to. Kinda like Pacino."

So maybe they're more like a rock 'n' roll Michael Corleone. Here's a band who, since forming in a Massachusetts high school, have zigzagged through indie rock, acoustic folk, electro noize, and funky punk, only to arrive at the next question mark. Now they're flaunting the brilliant new album Eisenhower, a potent condensation of the Slip's expansive, soulful explorations. And as they're sitting right now in the back of an RV on the road somewhere between Seattle and Portland, a couple gigs into the 31 they're playing over the next 35 days, these guys—Brad, his drum-whiz brother Andrew, and bassist Marc Friedman—are beginning to realize something: Maybe there are others out there like them, a Cosa Nostra in the making.

"Sometimes you feel like you're in a vacuum when you're literally in a vacuum," Brad says. "You're in an RV, driving around. You sit in the studio and make your music, and it's a very personal experience. You're with your bandmates, and these guys feel like your family. But sometimes it takes somebody stepping back and making that connection."

In this case the connection is post-jam, a loosely defined term to wrap around the Slip and other improv-heavy road warrior brethren. Take fellow Bostonians Apollo Sunshine, New York spaz jazzers the Benevento Russo Duo, Philly's Dr. Dog, and Kentucky phenoms My Morning Jacket. Take the fans of those bands, twenty- and thirtysomethings who've navigated a similar path through musical influences, starting in college with noodly experimentalists like the Grateful Dead and Phish and graduating to noodly experimentalists like Wilco and Built to Spill. Take the shared catharsis of thousands of live shows and hundreds of bootlegs and a slew of genuinely classic albums—from
Anthem of the Sun to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot to Z. Add it all up. There's something happening here, and for everyone concerned, it usually happens onstage.

"That's true, and that's one of the big connections between all those bands," Andrew says. "A dedication to a really connected live show."

"Really trying to get off every night onstage," Brad adds. "Not being content with getting up and playing your songs perfectly and walking off, trying to nail your record, but actually trying to scare your bandmates at some point, make the audience in a bit of a mad state."

Still, no artist likes getting journalistically genre-fied, right? "Not exactly," Brad says. "I'd love for a writer to come along and really impress me with a phrase. I think we'd all kind of enjoy that. But nobody's done it yet." That diffidence is exactly what people love about the Slip, and what keeps them from easy marketing, for better or for worse.

"To put it bluntly, I think we're in the era of Radiohead," Andrew says.

"They are the biggest rock band in the world," Brad concurs. "They put on the definitive modern live rock shows. And we're all kind of playing a more American rock version of their experimental soundscape . . ."

" . . . With songs."

"With songs," Brad continues. "The songs are as important as finding an innovative approach. And then taking it onstage and having the final step in the process be, 'Let's see how we can open it up and affect a room with it and make something happen.' "

And once again the Slip push their rock to the top of the mountain.

The Slip open for My Morning Jacket Thursday night at Roseland, roselandballroom.com.

[putty]

great article.

[hoby]

Agreed. Very well done.

hoby

[GeMeNeYe]

This is a cool article, but the author's comparison to Sisyphus is a little doomsdayish, without much hope. I'm guessing the author came up with that comparison after the interview -- I can't help but feel there's a twinge of negativity here -- seems kind of backhanded.

[harrymcq]

It wouldn't be the voice without a twinge of negativity.

[Luke]

No I think it's a 100% good. The Sisyphus reference is spot on. I actually had to change my opening of my article after I read that because I was taking the same tack. Sisyphus' plight might be viewed as depressing but it there is also a certain amount of liberation and will to live in existentialism. I think it captures much of the Slip's situation. I would have used it if I thought of it.

[GeMeNeYe]

I hear you. The Myth of Sisyphus and other existentialist ideas can be interpreted to provide a sort of inspiration -- that is, we should celebrate our ability to live life to the fullest in spite of (and/or because of) the meaningless of existence and the fact that we will one day die.

And I get it. I like it. I've always been a huge fan of existentialism -- especially as it relates to the notion of ART FOR ART'S SAKE -- for the sake of human expression.



But . . .

For the author to begin the article noting that over and over again "the boulder tumbles, crushing expectations and sending fans scrambling" isn't exactly a ringing endorsement -- it sounds like he thinks the band has struggled and struggled and gotten nowhere.

I agree that the overall thrust of the article is quite positive, and I like the analysis, but geez -- it's a pretty harsh way to start the article -- kinda sounds like "Here's the slip again, trying something new and bound to go nowhere 'cause they can't focus, can't figure out who they are."

[putty]

Yeah, I don't necessarily agree that expectations were ever crushed, as it says in the first paragraph. but i do agree that the changes the band has made hasn't helped its popularity or money making capabilities. luckily for me, that doesn't seem to be as important to this band as playing the music they want to play.

i'm eager to hear the next sound they move into.

[Luke]

I think it's a fairly true statement (up until recently) that the Slip has 'struggled and struggled and gotten nowhere'. To my eye they've always been limited to a niche within a niche (the high end jamband crowd) which was too small a market to get anywhere with.

[Guest]

"Really trying to get off every night onstage," Brad adds

Hot

[Guest]

"Really trying to get off every night onstage," Brad adds

Hot

I hate it when it says i'm a guest

[soraparu]

yeah, pretty good article/i-view...probably the best one i've seen related to this tour so far. "wouldn't be the Voice w/o a lil negativity"----ha...funny...like that.

and, uh-huh, "the high end jamband scene niche."
anyhow ....going back to Kimock...(yeah, i know, i know Phrazz, but it kinda fits)...a similar example. to follow or not---that is THE ?

he certainly followed his BLISS, sacrificed nearly EVERYTHING for 20 yrs, but has managed to do OK & create quite a guitar legacy/contribution to the instrument, which he's publicly acknowledged is really his only main goal in life anyhow.
the guy (& thru former bands Goodman's, Zero, KVHW) has cultivated only a fairly limited high-brow group of die hard, avid long-term attn. span/listener fans (and that was w/ virtually NO promo---even a far cry from BAM). there's only about a whole whoppin 289 fans actually still subbed to his discussion list presently worldwide (including, yes, myself!). BUT, then he does have his GEAR page now, too...the precious babe that it is.
(WHAT are the #s on SlipLive, btw? i'd be curious.)

well, Steve made NO $$ until very recently, in his late 40's....i'd go so far as to say, not until this 21st century---5 yrs ago---that's finally when the steady touring band of SKB came into play for a few years tho (w/ a major connected booker of High Road but a rotating bass chair.)
digital live matrix recordings began being sold---the music download revolution dawned, and another revenue source auto-sprung up from his amazing musical well.
What a novel idea!...not only can we sell tickets, we can sell the live recordings of the show...sometimes even INSTANTLY, & people can walk out w/ the hot little gems in their hands! (At least this happened w/ SK&F's lil Fayetteville mini-tour (that soon became the "new" SKB w/ Reed & Robert.)

soooooo...i guess my point is...The Slip can follow a similar high art/totally non-lucrative/rejecting ANY & ALL of their music licensing (or "relinquishment of all musical control" as Kimock would phrase it)-- road, or they can go their own way finding a nice, comfy middle ground of still creating/living their dream but also not being forced to couch surf for 10 yrs. there is a way to do it.

imnsho, BAM should keep on ROCKIN it like they seem to be doin' & shy FAR away from the inconsistent PR, & poor, haphazard announcement apparatus of SKP (e.g. some show announcements don't even go up on kimock.com until 3 wks beforehand... like right now).
not that they've gotta be publicity hounds by any means, but dang, the simple licensing of Even Rats for Guitar Hero has brought them more attn/new fans via that 1 song deal then touring constantly ever could have!
Kimock & Co. wouldn't have bitten that apple, i would argue, to their detriment.
but, i also see Kimock as a model of a musician who has also done it their OWN way, on his own terms, w/o "selling out" whatsoever & actually is doin just fine & goin strong, it seems, 30 yrs later!
i dunno, it's tough, & it all depends on what they want...
but, in reference e.g.....where ARE The Slip's digital on sale live d/loads ??? (like that Harrisburg show, for sure!!) SUCH an easy, logical, genuine, non-obnoxious way to bring in some more dough to cover the bills.
i can understand why they're not on archive.org, but heck Cleantone, u can go on TOUR to record their shows, no!? and i KNOW dsbd.net would release/serve/host them.
BRING IT.
+++Dana

[hoby]

and, uh-huh, "the high end jamband scene niche."
anyhow ....going back to Kimock...(yeah, i know, i know Phrazz, but it kinda fits)...a similar example. to follow or not---that is THE ?

I have this memory of Kimock stating quite emphatically that NO ONE should ever look at his career as an example of how to do it.

hoby

[soraparuq]

i believe the words were i wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy.
but...
i believe he also said, he wouldn't have done anything else.
life's paradox.